Katherine Matthews
by That Weasley
Summary: Katherine Matthews is a firecracker, just like her older brother. Just don't tell her that. She's loud, and she's got a temper, she also has a little problem. His name is Dave. Can a certain godlike Greaser save her before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! This is the first Outsiders multi-chaptered story I've tried in quite awhile. I'd really appreciate comments, and constructive criticism. I do ask though; if you're going to insult my story, tell me how to improve. And please, please, please tell me if Kat shows any signs of becoming a Mary-Sue.**

A loud knock on the door roused Katherine Matthews from where she was nestled on the couch. Swearing to herself, she climbed her way out of a pile of blankets, and made her way towards the door. She ran her hands through her knotted red hair that fell down to her shoulders, and obscured part of her face. She pulled open the front door and scowled. Sodapop Curtis was standing on her doorstep looking cheerful as ever.

"Hey," he said, grinning at her. She glared at him, and opened the door without a word. "What happened to your face?" he asked, stepping inside the house.

"Accident. What's your excuse?" she replied, shaking her head subconsciously so her black eye was slightly more covered by her hair.

Soda just smirked. "You know Kat, you shouldn't let that new boy of yours beat on you like that."

"Bite me Curtis," she growled back.

"Glad to," he said launching himself at her as if he were going to attack her. She stepped to the side and he tumbled to the floor. "No fair," he pouted, propping himself up on one elbow.

It was Kat's turn to smirk.

"Smooth one slick. Two-Bit's in his room. He's undoubtedly hung over, so I'd be quiet if I were you," she said, stepping over Sodapop, and flopping herself back on the couch. She should've turned the TV on while she was up. Oh well. She'd do it when Curtis left her alone. She glanced to the side, where he was still on the floor. "Are you waiting for something?"

"Yeah. I'm waiting to feel like getting up," he said, folding his hands behind his head. He knew he was getting on her nerves. It was his point of lying on the floor. Kat never felt the need to be nice to him, so he felt the need to annoy her. He turned his head sideways to look at her. She had a small scowl on her face. He just grinned, and finally pulled himself off the floor. "I think I'll go wake up that brother of yours." He headed up the stairs, and threw open Two-Bit's door with a loud whoop. That noise was promptly followed by a loud whoomph sound, and a shout. Kat rolled her eyes. It didn't matter how old boys got they never grew up.

She waited a few minutes before finally climbing back off the couch, and heading upstairs to get dressed. Dave was supposed to get there soon, and she figured she probably ought to look a bit more presentable. She pushed her door shut as she headed into her room, and headed for her closet. She grabbed a random outfit. She slid into one of her shorter black skirts, and a blue top that she'd stolen from one of her friends two years ago. She grabbed her brush, and forcibly brushed her hair, trying to get all the knots out. When she had gotten most of them out, she quickly pulled her red hair up into a ponytail. She dug through one of her drawers, until she found her makeup. She started with her cover-up, covering the huge purplish bruise that covered part of her face. She didn't figure Dave would be too pleased to see her if she didn't cover it up. She finished with that, and quickly put on the rest of her makeup. She surveyed herself in the mirror. She had way too much on. But, then again, what girl didn't wear too much makeup?

She headed out of her room, and could hear thumping, and grunting. She prayed to god they were wrestling. She headed quickly down the stairs, and away from her brother's room. This time, as she entered the living room, she remembered to turn the TV on, before throwing the cover that was on the couch to the other side of the room, and stretching her sixteen-year-old body out on the couch. She heard the door open soon enough, and she knew it was Dave. He never bothered to knock. "Kat?" His deep voice boomed.

"In here," she called back, not bothering to move. He'd come find her. And indeed, in less then five seconds he appeared in the living room doorway. He had his black hair slicked back, and his blue eyes watched her. "Well, are you coming over here?" she asked, pulling her feet back so he had room to sit. He took his time crossing the room. She knew he was trying to act tough. She also knew she had no intention of telling him he was failing. He sat down next to her on the couch, before glancing at the TV.

"Mickey Mouse?" He asked, giving her a weird look. She shrugged. It had been on the TV when she'd turned it on, and she hadn't felt like changing the channel. She waited for him to make the next move. She knew he hadn't come over to talk. He never had, and he had a one-track mind. She wasn't expecting it to change anytime soon. It wasn't too long before he asked, "Who's home?"

"Two-Bit, and Soda are here. But, Two-Bit's hung-over, and I don't really care what Soda thinks," she said, as he moved closer, before grabbing her wrists, and pulled her onto his lap. He seemed in a feisty, impatient mood today. Well, with Dave, that was unusual. After he pulled her onto his lap, it took him about point two seconds to push their lips together. She giggled lightly before his kisses became more forceful and her air supply was cut off. She winced as Dave set about attacking her neck. Why he had to be so rough with her, she didn't know. She was going to have bite marks all over her before the day was done. She didn't quite know when it happened, but somehow she ended up pinned underneath Dave on the couch. She giggled again, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pulling him close. She squirmed when she felt cold hand slide up her shirt. Surely he wasn't going to do this with her brother in the house.

In just a few seconds, her shirt was up and off of her body. He threw it somewhere away from them. She wasn't quite sure. He'd been about to start trying to get her bra off, but was distracted by the laugh of someone coming down the stairs. Kat pushed Dave off her and sat up, re-hooking the one hook Dave at gotten un-done. Soda had just stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He shook his head, looking at her. "Tsk tsk Miss Katherine. What would your brother think?"

"It's not of my brother's god damned business. Get out of my house Sodapop Curtis!" she shouted at him, locating her shirt, grabbing it, and holding it to her chest, as she pushed Soda out the door. She slammed it behind him, and sunk down against it. She looked back at Dave who had an eyebrow raised. "Wanna go to my room?" she asked, taking his hand as he walked towards her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys, chapter two has arrived! Thank you for the comments. I took some advice, and changed the summary, and title of the story. So, if you were expecting an email for Get Out of My House Sodapop!, Katherine Matthews is the same thing. Well, I wrote most of this chapter today/tonight actually. It hasn't been proofread so I'm really sorry if there are mistakes. Please review!**

Kat woke up with a heavy warmth pressing her down against her bed. She tried to shift her position but soon realized that it was Dave pressing down on her. She pushed on him lightly, sliding her body out from under him. She ended up falling off her bed, and landing on the floor, but she didn't care. She stood up, a shiver running trough her naked body. She quickly grabbed up the clothes she had been wearing, and hurried down the hall to the bathroom.

She started the water for a shower, and surveyed herself in the mirror as she waited for it to heat up. She looked like shit. Most of her makeup had either been wiped off or smudged. There were small swollen bite marks trailing down her body, and she had a new bruise on her chin that she wasn't quite sure where it came from. She ran her hands through her messed hair with a sigh, before stepping into the shower.

Kat began to relax a bit as the hot water ran over her body, washing away any pain she felt. The shower was her favorite place to be. It was the only place she had total privacy. She could think in peace, cry in peace, and just generally mope in peace. She sat down in the tub, leaning her back against the cold porcelain. She shivered again, and propped her feet up against the other end of the tub, and let the water pound against her stomach. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, forgetting for a moment who she was, who she was with, and what he did to her on such a regular basis. She forgot about the bruises and the yelling, and just forgot about everything, until the hot water ran out. She stifled a scream as she jumped up, and quickly turned the water off. She stepped out, wrapping a fluffy towel around herself, and another in her hair. She toweled off, and slipped into her clothes. She rubbed the towel through her hair, before dropping both towels on the floor. She ran a brush through her hair, and pulled it back up into a bun.

She headed down the hall, and stepped back into her room. Dave was still passed out on her bed. She frowned and debated whether or not to wake him up. She turned towards her dresser and started with her makeup. "Dave," she called over her shoulder. "You might want to get up. My mom is going to be home soon, and I doubt she'd be happy to find you naked in my bed." He grumbled, before finally getting off of the bed, and searching around for his clothes. She turned away from him again, and continued putting on her makeup. She felt his big arms wrap around her waist as she put the last of her makeup back in her drawer. She pressed herself against him, trying to steal his body heat.

"We're going to a party tonight." It was a statement, not a question. She merely nodded, resting her head against his shoulder. Her head was tilted to the side, and he took advantage of the fact to kiss the pale flesh. He murmured against her neck as she shivered. They stood entwined like this for a few moments until the front door slammed.

"Katherine, Keith, I'm home!" a shrill voice yelled from the front hall. "Where are you two?"

"Two-Bit's gone somewhere, and I'm on my way downstairs," she yelled back, taking Dave's hand and leading him out of her room, and down the stairs. "Hey mom," she said, kissing her on the cheek. "Is it alright if I go out tonight?" she asked, her fingers twining themselves in Dave's. She was going out whether or not she had permission. She just figured she'd play the good child for once and ask. Her mother watched her face for a few moments before finally answering.

"I want you in by midnight. I'll be at work, but I will have your brother check on you," she said, before disappearing up the stairs.

Kat grinned. Two-Bit was going to be way too wasted at midnight to do any checking up on her. "Thank you mom. Love you mom. Bye mom!" she shouted, grabbing her purse, and pulling Dave out of the house. The sky was already darkening, and it had to be almost seven or eight. She wished she'd looked at the clock before she'd scooted out of the house. Dave led her towards his car. She slid into the passenger's side, and he got in the driver's. "Where we going tonight?" she asked, propping her feet up on the dashboard as he pulled away from the curb.

"Bucks," he said, not bothering to look at her. She nodded. Buck's was where they went most nights. He got her drunk as hell, and they made their way upstairs. It was a short five-minute rides over to Buck's. Though it was only eight at night, the party was already in full swing. Tacky country music could be heard from down the street, as could screams and whoops. Dave pulled into an empty space and got out, as did Kat. He wrapped an arm around her waist as she walked around the front of the car. The gesture was not so much affectionate as it was to tell the other guys that she was spoken for. They headed into the house, and towards the bar. "Two beers," he said, handing Buck a few dollars.

Buck looked wary. "Ain't she a little young to be drinking?" he asked, looking at Kat. She rolled her eyes.

"Since when have you ever cared how old I am?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. She did not believe this. She'd been coming here since she was thirteen, and had never once been denied a drink by Buck.

"Well," Buck answered, glancing around. "I care, since your brother is here. He'd beat my head in if he saw me giving you beer," he said, still looking around for Two-Bit.

Kat rolled her eyes again. "He's so wasted already he can't see straight. Just give me my beer," she said, holding her hand out. He finally gave in and handed one to her, and the other to Dave. Dave nodded at Buck as he dragged Kat away from the bar and towards a couch. He sat down, and she sat next to him, and draped a leg over him. She estimated that she had about ten minutes before Dave started sucking face with her.

It was less then that. She had barley finished her beer when he was all over her. Her mind swam as she attempted to focus through the fog. "Upstairs," she managed to breathe as he began to un-button her shirt. He never got that far. He stood up to pull her up, and was quickly punched in the face. Kat's eyes widened. Standing next to where Dave had just been was a very sober, and very pissed Two-Bit Matthews.

He grabbed Kat's arm, and wrenched her off the couch. She started to protest. "Save it Kat," he growled. "We're going home." He turned to look at her and added, "And button your shirt up." She ignored him. He dragged her towards the door.

She attempted vainly to pull her arm out of his grip. "Mom told me I could be out until midnight!" she protested.

Two-Bit glared at her. "And, did mom tell you were allowed to go to Buck's and have sex on a couch?"

"I was not having sex!"

"Well you were pretty damn close."

The ride home was an uncomfortable silence. They both stomped into the house, Kat before Two-Bit. She stormed up the stairs towards her room, and went to slam the door, but was stopped by Two-Bit. "We are talking about this," he said in the tone that meant he was attempting to be threatening. He was failing.

"We're not talking about anything Two-Bit. You have no idea how much I hate you right now!"

The door slammed, and he didn't bother to stop it.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I didn't go to school today, so I figured I'd try to get an update up today. Thanks to my reviewers. Though I will tell you, my muse will only hang around for so long, so the updates will probably start to slow down a bit. Also, I've got some drama planned for one of the next few chapters. Haven't decided which one yet. Read and review please!

**Greaserlvr54: As much as I'd love to have Dally beat the crap out of Dave, this takes place a year or so after the book, so Dally is already dead.**

"Kat! Get up!" Two-Bit's loud voice sounded through the thin wood of her door, and pierced into her head. She held her head between her hands. Two-Bit pounded on the door; oblivious to the hangover his sister was currently experiencing. After he'd gone to bed the previous night, Kat had snuck down stairs and emptied a six-pack. She'd never had much of an alcohol tolerance but right now she felt like she was dying.

"Shut up Two-Bit! My head hurts!" she called back as loudly as she could handle. She heard his feet head away down the hall, and she thought she was off the hook. He was back a few minutes later though. He pushed her door open, and set something on her bedside table. "Take these, get ready, and come downstairs. We're going over to the Curtis house today." Kat's eyes popped open, and she hissed at the intruding light.

"I'm not going anywhere with you, and I'm sure as hell not going there," she growled, glaring at him through squinted eyes. She pulled her cover over her head.

"Yes, you are Katherine," he said, pulling her covers off of her and her bed. She whined, and smacked at him, missing by a large margin. She argued with him for a few more minutes before swearing at him and telling him she'd be ready in ten minutes. He left her in peace, and she quickly swallowed the four aspirin he had brought her. She slipped out of the outfit she'd passed out in the night before. She found a fresh outfit consisting of a slightly longer skirt then the one she'd worn yesterday, and a top she'd stolen from Two-Bit. She headed towards the bathroom, and washed her face off. She looked at herself. The bruise around her eye was beginning to change color. It looked pretty gross, but it meant it would go away soon. She sighed. Two-Bit would probably kill Dave if he ever saw all the bruises she had. She hurried back towards her room, and quickly put her makeup on. She found a pair of sneakers, sat on her bed, and slipped them on. She leaned back against her bed, closing her eyes.

"Kat! Hurry up!" Two-Bit shouted from the front door. He'd never understood why it took girls so long to get ready. All he ever had to do was grab whatever clothes were closest, and his shoes and jacket and he was ready.

"Coming!" she shouted, sitting up unwillingly and heading out of her room. She took her time going down the stairs, trying to prolong going to the Curtis house. Two-Bit glared at her, and she glared back. He opened the front door, and followed her out. She opened his car door, and got in, pulling it shut with a slam. Stupid piece of shit car. She hated it. He really needed to get a job and get a decent car. It was almost embarrassing to be seen in it. He got in the driver's side, and started the car up. It stalled at first, but ended up started. She closed her eyes again, and leaned them back against the seat. He pulled out of the driveway. Their house was a short ride, as everything around here seemed to bed.

Two-Bit pulled up next to the sidewalk. "We're here, get out." Kat muttered something under her breath to him, and he could swear he heard her tell him to kiss her ass. He gave her a glare, but she wasn't looking at him. She slammed the car door behind her. He got out of his side, shutting his door more gently then she had. He headed around the front of the car, and headed into the house. "Good morning Greasers! We're here!" he shouted through the house.

"We? Who's with you Two-Bit?" Darry asked, appearing in the doorway to the living room. "Oh. Good morning Katherine." He received a glare. "Right. Just, go make yourself comfortable or something," he said, nodding at the living room, as he crossed in front of the kitchen. Two-Bit nudged her towards the entrance to the living room, and when she finally went in, and sat herself on the couch, he turned and headed into the kitchen. Darry looked up as he came in. "Why'd Katherine come with you?" he asked, handing Two-Bit a slice of cake and a beer.

"She had no choice. I made her. I caught at Buck's last night. Dave had her shirt halfway off," he said, sighing. "I don't know what I'm going to do about her. I don't want her around Dave, but she's not the easiest kid in the world to control." He downed a large amount of his beer. "I need to get rid of Dave. I just don't know how to do it. I wish she would do it on her own."

Darry nodded. "Just give her some space. You know how she is. She's going to do whatever she wants to, and you know it. She'll get rid of him when she's ready. Just back off. Acting like this is just going to make it worse Two-Bit." Two-Bit glared at him. He had come in here to be told to back off. He wanted to snap Dave's neck. No one was going to mess with his baby sister.

"Don't think about it," Darry said, as if he could read Two-Bit's mind. "Now come on," he said, heading into the living room. Kat was sitting on the couch, her knees pulled up to her chest, and her arms wrapped around her legs. She was glaring at everyone. Pony sat as far away on the couch as he could from her. Soda had flopped in between Kat and Pony to save him from her death glares. Steve was sprawled across a chair, and Darry took the other chair. Two-Bit sat on the floor in front of Kat with his cake and beer. She unwrapped her arms from her legs, and kicked him lightly in the back of the head.

"I still hate you, you know."

Two-Bit rolled his eyes. "I'd be disappointed if you didn't."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I figured, since I took the day off from school, I owed you guys something, and here it is! Your second chapter of the day. The beginning drags a bit, and I'm really sorry if you don't really like it. The end is really important. Please when you read it, don't think Kat is a Mary-Sue. That's not the reason I wrote it. It's really important. I want to thank everyone who's subscribed, and added my story to alerts and favorites.**

The rest of the day passed painfully, painfully slow for Kat. She'd been sitting on the couch all day, watching the boys. Soda and Steve played cards and got into several fights in the two hours before they had to go to work. She was quite pleased when they left. Her head was still throbbing a bit, and their constant yelling had not been doing it any good. She'd taken a short nap against Pony's shoulder. He'd probably been a bit too freaked out to wake her up and make her move. He was too quiet that kid. He'd been really quiet since his best friend; Johnny had died the year before. She felt bad for Pony. He'd lost two of his friends in one night. Everyone in her brother's gang had, but Pony had been really close to Johnny. She'd been in the same grade as Pony and Johnny. All the Greasers had it bad in school, but it seemed especially bad for Johnny. Just a few months before he'd died, he'd been beast up pretty badly by some soc, and he'd gotten a huge scar up his face. That was one of the few moments that Katherine had ever felt sympathy.

Pony spent most of the day reading and working on homework, much to Darry's approval, and Two-Bit's dismay. Two-Bit seemed to take particular interest in putting Pony in constant headlocks. Darry spent probably twenty minutes reading every single article in the paper. He was weird. Two-Bit spent this time drinking, watching the TV, and being generally annoying. After awhile, Two-Bit and Darry started playing cards, and Kat stretched out on the couch. Mickey Mouse was still on the TV, and she was too lazy to change it. She yawned, wishing she were anywhere else but here. She was rather worried about how Dave was going to react the next time she saw him, but she wasn't going to tell Two-Bit that. He was already in over protective mode. She didn't think telling him that her boyfriend beat on her would be a good idea. She was still amazed that she'd managed to keep it from everyone for four months. She kind of wished someone would figure it out, and save her. She wasn't brave enough to leave him. She was also a bit scared to think about what would happen if she tried. She would have left him long ago. She'd thought the first time he'd hit her had been an accident. They'd both been drunk. She'd quickly learned that accident it was not. She'd never said anything about it to anyone though.

Pony must have wandered back out at some point, and she must have had a weird look on her face, because he was suddenly standing over her. "You all right?" he asked, looking at her nervously. She just nodded, and moved her feet so he could sit. He did, and looked at her. "You sure you're okay?" She nodded again. He let the subject drop after that, and picked up his book. She let her eyes shut again, and went back to thinking. Everything was blurring together in her mind, and she really wished she had a beer, or even just a cigarette. Anything at all that would calm her nerves down was good in her book. She chewed her lip, and propped her head up on her arm. She took a deep breath and listened to everything around her. Darry and Two-Bit were talking over their game of cards. She couldn't make out what they were saying. She was sure it was about her though. It was one of those feelings. She could hear the hum from the muted TV, and the pages of Pony's rustle as he turned them. She could hear her own steady breathing, and the distant din of junior Greasers playing down the block. It was amazing everything you could hear when you really listened. She tuned out all of the noise and listening to the beat of her heart.

She must have fallen asleep at some point because the next thing she knew, Two-Bit was shaking her arm. "Come on Kat. We're gonna head home now."

"What time is it?" she mumbled sleepily, sitting up, and waiting for the world to adjust itself.

"It's five. You slept all day fat ass," he answered her as she stood up, and rubbed her eyes. They were seemingly the only two left in the house.

"Where is everyone?" she asked, stifling a yawn.

"Soda and Steve are still at work. Darry's at work, and Pony's in his room. Now come on," he said, slinging his arm around her shoulder, and dragging her towards the door. She followed him to his car, and got in, this time closing the door gently. She woke up more as they drove back towards their house.

"I'm gonna go upstairs," she said as they entered the house. Her hair was a mess, and she desperately needed to fix it. He nodded at her, shutting the door behind him. He disappeared into the living room, and soon cheered. She was guessing the Mickey Mouse marathon was still on. She made her way slowly up the stairs. She was still shaking the remains of sleep from her head as she pushed open her door. She flipped the light on, and headed to the dresser. She touched up her makeup and brushed her hair, pulling it up into a high ponytail. She turned around and that was when she saw the note on her bed. She looked at it quizzically for a moment before walking over towards it and picking it up.

'_I want you in the park by six thirty._'

There was no doubting whom it was from. She looked around her room nervously, then at the clock on her bedside table. It was six fifteen! Shit! She headed out of her room and down the stairs, shrugging a sweater on. She stopped by the living room doorway. "Hey Two-Bit. I'm gonna go for a short walk. I'll be back, alright?"

Two-Bit looked up at her from his chair. "I want you home within an hour, or I will come find you," he said, watching her face, trying to see if she was telling the truth.

She smiled at him. "Alright. I don't think I should be that long." She hurried out the door before he could say more to her. Now that she was away from prying eyes, she ran. The last thing she wanted to do was be late when she knew Dave was going to be angry. She ran the eight blocks to the park, not stopping once. She collapsed onto a swing when she got there. She looked around, not seeing Dave anywhere. "Dave?" she called tentatively, almost hoping he wouldn't answer.

"Yes?" he asked, appearing from behind a tree. She stood up, and walked towards him, still panting lightly.

"I'm here. Just like you asked me," she said, giving him a small smile, as she got close. He didn't return the smile. His hands locked around her upper arms, squeezing them tightly. She flinched.

"You left me last night," he said, his voice low and threatening. He was not failing at scaring her this time.

"Two-Bit dragged me out. I tried to come back. I really did." She was pleading with him now. She knew what was coming next, and she was going to try as hard as she could to get away from it without actually running away. Running away would make it a thousand times worse.

"I'm sure you did," he growled, squeezing her arms tighter before releasing them as he shoved her to the ground.

"I'm sorry Dave. I should have tried harder." She was groveling at this point. She shakily got to her feet. She wasn't up long. She felt a fist connect solidly with her stomach, and she was back on the ground, dry heaving and gasping for breath. Dave grabbed her, and pulled her back to her feet, and held her arm tight.

"I can't be with a girl who won't even stick with me." He said letting go of her so she swayed on her feet. Kat brought her eyes up to look at him, and wished she hadn't. His fist connected with her jaw, and she fell again, slamming into the ground. "Good-bye Katherine," he said simply, turning and walking away.

And that was when everything when black.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Holy hell. How did I manage to write three chapters in one day? Part of that probably has something to do with the fact that I should be in bed asleep right now, because I have school tomorrow. I was planning on finishing this tomorrow, but somehow, I just managed to finish it all while everything was still in my head. Thank you to all my reviewers, and I hope this chapter makes up for having Kat be beat up last chapter. And yes, Two-Bit is out of character. It's fitting here though.

The material, whatever it was, was scratchy, but it wasn't too uncomfortable. This was currently the only thought Kat's mind had straightened out. It was still working on the rest. She thought she could hear muted voices, and an annoying beeping noise that was far away. Everything was still a puzzle though. She wasn't sure if she was awake or asleep, alive or dead, or even where she was. There was something plastic-like in her nose, and it was annoying her. She moved, or at least thought she moved to make it go away. Something cold pressed against her hand, moving it back to where it had been. She made a pathetic whimpering noise as a shot of pain ran through her shoulder, and she could hear someone calling her name. They sounded so far away though.

"Kat. Kat honey. Katherine." Two-Bit's voice was weak as he stroked the side of his baby sister's face. Normally he'd never have talked to his sister like this, but he was just so scared. He'd told her to be back in an hour, and he'd waited an hour and a half before he went looking. He swore his heart stopped for a beat when he'd seen his sister lying in the middle of the park. He didn't know whether she was alive or dead, and there'd been so much blood. "Kat, I know you can hear me. Come on Kat answer me. Please Kat."

Kat could hear the voice. She couldn't quite make out who's it was. It was so familiar. It was on the tip of her tongue. She opened her mouth to answer the voice, and tell it that she was okay, but nothing would come out. She tried again, but still nothing.

"Kat, open your eyes Kat. Come on, wake up." The voice was talking softly to her, and she got the impression that this wasn't normal. She wanted to make the voice stop sounding so worried. She tried to open her eyes, but they felt like they'd had lead weights placed on top of them. She wanted to open her eyes and talk to the voice. She wanted it to stop sounding so sad.

Everything came back to her with a sudden rush. Her brother was talking to her, and he sounded scared, and it was scaring her. Dave had beat her and left her in the park by herself. Two-Bit must have found her there. That must be why he was sounding like this. Where was she? How bad had Dave hurt her? She jerked back to consciousness with a gasp, flinging herself up, to wrap herself around Two-Bit. She fell back with a muffled scream as several places on her body screamed at her in agony. She felt something tug at her hand, and she looked to see a needle sticking in her arm. She whimpered, huddling herself into Two-Bit's arms. He looked shocked. "Two-Bit," she whispered, her voice sounding weak and scared even to her.

"Shh, Kat. It's okay. I've got you," he said, holding her close as she shivered, and kissing her lightly on the head. He had been so scared, she'd looked so pale on the ground, and there'd been so much blood coming out of her head. She looked so tiny and pale in that hospital bed that his heart broke for her. She was his little sister, his baby sister. He was supposed to protect her. He was going to find whoever did this to her, and they were going to pay.

"What happened Two-Bit," she asked, her voice rasping. Her throat was so sore and dry. Her head was throbbing, and every muscle in her body was screaming. She felt feverish, and sick. Two-Bit was watching her carefully, like he was watching for something. "What happened Two-Bit," she repeated a bit more urgently. She remembered most of what happened, but a lot of it was still a blur.

Two-Bit looked sad. "Someone hurt you Kat. And I'm going to find them, and make them hurt just as bad," he said seriously, looking at her. A shiver ran through her body. This was not her Two-Bit. This was the polar opposite of her Two-Bit. Her Two-Bit was always funny, and always drunk, and always laughing. This was the second night in a row she'd seen Two-Bit sober, and not laughing or joking at all. It was unnerving.

"W-what did they do to me?" he voice was starting to quiver. She was scared. She knew Dave had done it. She just didn't know what he had done. Everything in between him stepping out from behind a tree, and her waking up in a hospital bed was a complete blur.

"They just hurt you Kat. Don't worry about," he said, trying to reassure her.

"Tell me what he did god damn you Two-Bit," she said, the tears leaking from her eyes.

Two-Bit stopped and looked at her. "Him? Kat, do you know who did this to you?" His eyes pierced into hers as he waited for her to answer him. She shook her head, and stopped suddenly as a sharp pain shot through her jaw. "C'mon Kat, you can tell me," he said, using his free hand to wipe the tears away from her eyes.

"Tell me what he did first. How bad did he hurt me?" she asked again, both her voice and her eyes pleading for an answer. Two-Bit sighed.

"He punched you Kat, a lot. Your eye is all bruised, and your jaw is really bruised, and you popped your shoulder out of place, and there's bruises up and down your arms," he said, pausing for a moment to make sure she was still okay. "And your stomach was bruised when he hit you, and you cracked your head. But it's okay honey. They've got you stitched up and you're going to be okay." Now Kat wasn't sure who he was reassuring. She closed her eyes and listened to him talk. "Who did this Kat? Who did this to you?" She shook her head ever so slightly. "Kat," he said, his voice more firm now. "Who did this?"

He had to strain to hear her voice. She was so quiet, so scared. "Dave," she whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to keep back the tears that were attempting to flow. She cried out in pain as another burst of pain shot through her jaw and eye. Two-Bit hugged her tightly, but gently for a moment.

"I'm going to go get the nurse, and she'll give you something and make you feel better," he said, carefully untangling her from his arms. She looked at him pleadingly. "I'll be right back," he promised. She closed her eyes as he left the room.

Just a minute or so later, she heard three people walk into her room. She opened her eyes in surprise. She'd only been expecting two people. The nurse headed around the other side of her bed, and Two-Bit and Soda stood in the doorway. "This is going to put you to sleep. Okay sweetheart?" she said kindly, looking at Kat. Kat just nodded lightly.

"Hey Kitty Kat," Soda called, and Kat couldn't help but smile at the nickname she hated.

"What Sodapop?" she asked, turning her head.

"You look like shit," he said with a grin.

"Get the hell outta my room asshole," she slurred with a laugh, as a nice hazy numbness took her over.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys! Happy Holidays! Thank you to all my reviewers, and my deepest apologies that I didn't get this chapter up sooner. It's been pretty hectic, and I've had a case of writer's block. Well, here you go, the sixth installment of Katherine Matthews!**

"Kat! Hey Kat! Wake up fat ass. Unless you'd rather stay here longer." Kat swatted at her brother unsuccessfully. She was so tired, and he wouldn't even let her sleep. She opened one eye peering at him. He turned his head sideways. "Ready to go?" He was acting annoyingly chipper. She glared at him. What she wanted was for him to go away. She mumbled something, and sat up, rubbing her eyes gently. She was in a lot less pain then she had been the previous night, but she still hurt quite a bit. She turned to slide off the bed, but Two-Bit made her stay. "Nope. You're riding in the wheelchair."

She glared at him. "I am not riding in a wheelchair," she said simply. Wheelchairs were for people incapable of walking. She could walk perfectly fine. "I'm walking out of here Two-Bit. I ain't riding in no wheelchair."

He looked at her calmly for a moment before speaking. "Kat, for once in your life, do something someone asks you without throwing a fit. Please." Kat looked back at him.

"No."

An annoyed look crossed Two-Bit's face, and he opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by Soda stepping into the room from where he'd been standing by the doorway.

"Well, Kat. If you won't use the wheelchair, I'll carry you." If looks could kill, Sodapop would have been lying on the floor dead from the look Kat was giving.

"Alright. That works. Kat, you can either sit in the wheelchair, or Soda can carry you. Pick one," he said, sitting on the bed next to her. Kat pouted.

"Why can't I walk?" she asked, adjusting the sling on her arm. "My legs are perfectly fine," she insisted.

"Because I said so. And so did the doctors. That's why. I want to get out of here, so pick. Now," he answered, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

She glanced at the wheelchair, then back at Soda, at the wheelchair, Soda, chair, and Soda again. "Fine," she sighed. "Get over here Curtis. But, try anything and I'll break your nose," she threatened as he stepped closer to her.

"I don't doubt it," he replied as she wrapped her good arm around his neck, and he picked her up. She let out a tiny shriek. "You all right?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. She nodded. She wasn't used to being picked up, and the sudden change had startled her. She yawned. She was still really tired. She moved her arm, and rested her head against his shoulder. He was warm, and it was making her even sleepier. She yawned again, and let her eyes flutter shut. She could swear she heard him chuckle before she fell asleep.

Kat stretched, hissing in pain as a jolt of pain ran through her body. She needed to stop doing that, but her muscles were just so stiff. She yawned, and opened her eyes, peering around her room. Everything looked normal, and the sun was still out, and her clock told her it was only noon. She wondered a bit how long she'd been asleep. She wasn't sure what time she'd left the hospital. Her eyes wandered to the doorway, and there stood Sodapop Curtis. She glared at him. Of all people, why did he have to be the one to be standing at her door? "How long have you been there?" she asked with a sigh, propping herself up against her pillows.

"A couple minutes," he said with a shrug. "Mind if I come in?"

"Yes."

He walked into the room anyway, sitting at the end of her bed, looking at her as she pulled her legs in, sitting cross-legged. "So," he started, letting his sentence drop off there. She just looked at him silently, wondering why the hell he was in her room, attempting, and failing to make conversation. She raised her eyebrows telling him to go on talking if he was going. "So," he started again. "Those bruises on your face. They aren't new Kat. I've been in enough fights to know that that didn't happen last night."

Kat watched him silently for a moment. "So? What happened last night wasn't your business, and what happened before that certainly wasn't your business," she said simply, playing with a bit of blanket between two fingers.

"So why didn't you tell anyone Kat?" he asked, trying to understand. He couldn't wrap his mind around not telling someone.

"You've obviously never been in the situation Curtis. I wouldn't expect you to understand," she snapped. She didn't need to explain herself to him of all people.

"Well," he said calmly, "I'm trying."

She looked at him silently for a long moment before sighing. "You really want to know?" He nodded. "Because," she started before breaking off. "Because. Well, because I was too scared to. Dave isn't a particularly nice person. And I was scared of what would happen. I was scared of what would happen to me, my family. And you saw last night what happens when Dave doesn't get his way. I can only imagine what would have happened if I'd told someone," she said, suddenly realizing she was shivering.

Sodapop pulled her into a careful hug, and she leaned against him. Though she would never admit it, she felt safe with Soda. His embrace was warm and strong, and at this moment, Kat felt tiny, but protected. A small shiver ran through her again. He held her tighter, and she let herself melt into him. "Kat?" he said quietly.

"Hmm?" she asked, looking up at him.

Before she knew it, his lips met her and he was kissing her. Kat froze for a moment, before pulling away from him and slapping him. "What the hell?" she yelled, her eyes bright.

"Apparently," Soda said still calm, as he put his hand against his stinging cheek, "I misinterpreted signs."

"Damn right you did!"

"Kat, I'm sorry."

"Just get the hell out of here Sodapop!"

Sodapop got up quietly, pulling the door shut behind him, and Kat lay back against her bed. She looked up at the ceiling. "Fuck."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Wow! Chapter 7. This is the farthest I've gotten with a chapter story, and I'm so excited. Thank you so much to everyone who reviews my chapters. You guys really make my day. Thanks so much. I decided Kat deserved a relatively happy chapter. So please read and review. And thank you all so much for being so patient with me getting the chapters up!**

Kat spent the rest of the day in her bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about what had happened between her and Soda earlier that day. She had no inclination whatsoever to move from her current position. Two-Bit had yelled at her several times that just because she got beat up did not mean she got to lay in bed all day, and she very politely told him what he could do to himself. He gave up after the fourth time and just let her brood.

"Kat," he said knocking on her door after an hour of silence. "I brought you lunch." He opened the door and entered cautiously; afraid something might come flying at him. Kat pulled herself up into a sitting position, yawning. She'd been dozing off.

"Thanks," she mumbled, taking the plate. She ate her dinner quietly, and set the plate on her bedside stand before rolling back over and burying her face in her pillow with a loud sigh. She shouldn't have pushed Soda away like that. He was a good guy. Certainly a lot better for her then Dave. Then again, most guys would be better for her then Dave. She sighed again, chewing on her lip, before rolling back over. She stood up, and opened her window. She squeezed her body through the small frame, and on to the roof. She reached her arm back in, and rummaged around her stand, pulling her arm back out with a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Two-Bit hated when she smoked. It was something about her being too young. He was a bloody hypocrite. She knew for a fact that he was downstairs getting completely wasted and watching Mickey Mouse. She lit her cigarette. She took a long drag, and looked up. The sky was completely dark. It was so cloudy, even the moon was hidden. That was how Kat felt, cloudy. She took another drag on her cigarette, and pulled her knees up to her chest. She finished the cigarette and ground it against the roof before flicking it off the side. She wrapped her arms around her knees, and stared out at the neighborhood. She was going to go apologize to Soda tomorrow she decided. It was a safe bet that Soda would avoid her house for a day or two, so it was up to her to go to him first. A shiver ran through her, and she finally noticed how cold she was. She grabbed the window frame, and pulled herself through. She wiggled to get through as her hips got caught. She really needed a new window frame. She wasn't a scrawny eleven year old anymore. She stumbled to her bed with a loud yawn, and dropped onto it, pulling her covers over her, and turning her lamp off. Even though she'd slept half the day, she was still exhausted. Her breathing slowed, and she was asleep before a minute had gone by.

"Kat," her mom called over to the sleeping form, from the doorway. "Kat, get up. I have to go to work, and you aren't going to sleep all day." Kat opened her eyes, and glared at her mother. She wanted sleep. She did not want to get up. "I mean it," her mother warned, before pulling the door shut behind her. Kat waited until she left the room. She crawled out of bed, and moved towards her closet. She grabbed a long sleeved shirt, and headed towards her dresser, grabbing a pair of jeans. She slipped out of the clothes she'd been wearing and into her fresh ones, automatically feeling a bit better. She grabbed her makeup, and peered into her mirror for a moment before starting to apply it. She frowned as she closed the cap of her cover-up. She was going to need to buy more before long. She was just about out. She dumped the makeup back into her drawer, sat on her bed, closing her eyes for a moment. She knew she should probably get going. Soda would be at work by now, and she wanted to catch him before he went home for lunch. She figured it would be less awkward if she went to talk to him at the DX. She may have to fight her way through the girls that were always hanging all over him. She mentally gagged. Trashy greaser girls. Kat didn't consider herself to be trashy. She generally wore concealing enough clothes, and not as much makeup as most girls. She could be a bit of a slut, but that was about the only thing that she could see that tied her in with the trash.

She slipped her shoes on, and stopped in front of Two-Bit's door. She could hear him snoring inside. She knocked on the door and the snoring stopped. "What?" he grumbled. She couldn't help but smirk. He was hung over.

"I'm going on a walk, she said, leaning against the doorframe. She heard him mutter to himself, and fall off his bed. A few moments later the door opened.

"I don't think that's a good idea Kat," he said, frowning at her. He looked like shit, and Kat smiled.

"I'm a big girl now Two-Bit. I'll be fine. I'm just going over to the DX. I'll be back in a little bit." She crossed her arms as he tried to stare her down.

He glared. "Fine. I'm going back to bed." He shut his door as softly as he could. She let out a little laugh, and hurried down the stairs.

"Bye mom," she said, kissing her on the cheek, and hurrying out of the house before she could say anything. She walked quietly down the street. She was in a surprisingly cheery mood today. She didn't look like it though. Her arms were crossed, and she was chewing on her lip, thinking. Talking with Soda was probably going to be rather awkward after her explosion the previous day, but she really did need to apologize. It wasn't that she didn't want to kiss him, and it wasn't that she wanted to kiss him either. She didn't know what she wanted, because up until yesterday she thought that she hated Sodapop Curtis. She sighed. The main reason she had pushed him away was because she wasn't ready to be kissing someone after what had happened in the park with Dave. She knew she could trust Soda, but she was just so scared.

She frowned as the DX came into view. She'd been hoping the walk would take longer. She uncrossed her arms as she crossed the street. A bell jangled as she pulled the door opened and stepped in. Soda looked up from where he was leaning on the counter. He looked at her. "Hey Kat," he said cautiously.

"Hey Soda," she said, offering him a weak smile, which he returned. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" She glanced around the store. She and Soda were currently alone. She'd been hoping for that. She intertwined her fingers nervously.

"Yeah, of course. What about?" he asked, folding his arms on the counter, and leaning against it. Kat took the few steps toward him, and mimicked him on the other side of the counter.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," she said, looking at him. "I'm really sorry. I probably shouldn't have slapped you.

Sodapop chuckled, and shook his head. "I shouldn't have kissed you. I guess I just kind of misinterpreted."

It was Kat's turn to shake her head. "No. You didn't," she said simply.

Soda stared at her. "I didn't? So why did you slap me?"

Kat shrugged. "Scared I guess."

"Of me?"

"Soda, I got beat up by a guy the night before!"

"Oh right."

Kat was quite away that during their banter, they'd gradually gotten closer. The counter was still between them, but there were only inches between their faces. Soda gave her a look, and she lifted the corner of her mouth in the slightest grin, leaned in and kissed him. It wasn't the easiest kiss she'd ever had. She was on her tiptoes trying to kiss him. It was an interesting kiss though, one of her better ones. She pulled away, and dropped back down to flat foot. "I've got to get home. I promised Two-Bit I wouldn't be long. See you around Curtis." She flashed him a grin, and disappeared out the door before he could say anything.

She headed down the street in quite a good mood. She was doing everything she could to not skip. She didn't notice a car pull up near her until the door slam. She stopped, and turned around. Standing by the driver's side of the car was Dave. He had a black eye and a busted lip, and he didn't look too happy. Kat's eyes widened. "Fuck," she muttered.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: It only took me three weeks, but I finally got you guys your chapter. Problem is, I'm starting to run out of ideas. So, now I've reached the point where you guys get to give me your ideas on what should happen next! Leave your name, and some of you might just make an appearance.**

"What do you want Dave?" Kat asked, crossing her arms, and trying to act as though she didn't care. Her eyes kept getting drawn to his eye. His bruise was quite similar to hers; his was a lot more recent though. He was glaring, and she felt a familiar feeling trickle through her, fear. "What do you want Dave?" she asked, resisting the urge to turn and run as fast as she could.

Dave walked around the car, still not saying a word. Kat noted that she no longer had the ability to move her legs from where they were. He walked towards her slowly, and his silence was the worst part for Kat. She felt herself suddenly starting to back up, as he got closer to her. Her back hit against the brick wall, and it suddenly clicked in her head that she ought have run in the opposite direction and not have backed herself against the wall. "Fuck," she muttered angrily as Dave continued towards her. He smirked at her, holding her against the wall, his hands on her hips.

"Why can't you leave me alone Dave?" she grumbled, pushing at him, her eyes glaring at him.

He held her tight, her efforts having no effect on his hold. "I was going to, but your brother felt the need to intervene. And you know me Kat, I don't let things go."

"Obviously," she growled smacking at his hands, knowing full well what his intentions were.

He glared at her, and she shut up, fear running through her again. "I can either make you do this and it hurt a hell of a lot more then you want it to, or, you can climb in that car right now, and it can hurt a lot less." He moved his right hand to tangle it painfully in her hair.

She bit her lip. Honestly, neither choice was very appealing. "Fine, " she finally growled. Dave let go of her, and opened the car door.

"Ladies first," he said, shooting her a threatening glance.

"Fuck you."

"I plan on it."

Kat half climbed, half fell out of the car after Dave got out. She fixed her shirt feeling very used. "I hate you so much," she grumbled dropping down to sit on the curb.

"I expected as much," was all Dave said. He walked around the front of the car without another word, got in the driver's seat, and drove away. Kat waited a few moments, until she was sure she wasn't going to cry, and got up. She adjusted her shirt again, and made sure she looked at least halfway decent before heading home. She hurt all over. Every part of her was aching. Her jaw was especially painful.

She opened the front door, and Two-Bit yelled from the living room, "Kat is that you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Who else would it be you drunken bum?" She headed into the living room to see Two-Bit sitting in the chair in front of the TV, beer in hand. She rolled her eyes again, and sat on his lap. "We're going to have a tender moment, so try not to mess it up," she said, looking at him seriously.

"First of all, you're a fucking asshole, stay out of my business. Second, thank you for standing up for me. Thirdly, don't do it again." She kissed him on the cheek, and he gave her a look. "Hey drove by, and I put the pieces together. I'm going to take a shower," she said, getting up and disappearing out of the room.

She headed upstairs, and into the bathroom. She stripped down, rubbing a new bruise on her side. She turned the water on before climbing in. She let the hot water clean away the filth that was Dave. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, relaxing herself. She washed her hair, and scrubbed her body for a good ten minutes, before sitting in the bottom of the shower. She pulled her knees up to her chest, and rested her chin between her knees. She closed her eyes again, and just thought. She didn't hate Dave. She probably ought to after all he'd put her through, but she couldn't bring herself to. Sure, he was an asshole. There was no denying that. But, she still couldn't hate him. She'd probably punch him in the face if she ever saw him again though.

She yawned, and grabbed the sides of the tub, pulling herself to her feet. She shut the water, and stepped out, grabbing her towel and drying off. She hurried down the hall to her room, quickly throwing on a clean outfit. She wasn't planning on going anywhere for the rest of the day. She looked over at the clock. It was already five-thirty. She wasn't aware so much time had passed since she'd left the house.

She headed quietly downstairs. The TV was on, and it was loud, and Kat winced as she stepped into the living room. Her ears quickly adjusted, and she looked around. Two-Bit was sitting in the chair, with yet another beer in his hand, and Sodapop of all people was sitting on the couch. "Hello," she said, sitting on the opposite end of the couch from Soda.

Sodapop looked away from the TV, and at Kat. "Hey." He looked back at the TV, and Kat couldn't help but smile. Was it possible that she'd made things a bit awkward this morning? A shout from Two-Bit caught her attention and she looked over. He'd spilt his beer all over himself. She giggled, and he glared.

"I'm going to take a shower," he growled, standing up, and stalking out the room. Kat giggled again, and when Two-Bit was upstairs, Soda turned to her again.

"What was that about this morning?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

She gave him a wide-eyed innocent look. "What was what for?"

Soda glared. "You know what I'm talking about."

"And so what if I do?"

"Well then answer my question."

"Which one?" Kat was suppressing a grin now. She was trying to get on his nerves.

"What was that all about this morning?"

"What? I'm not allowed to kiss people?"

"Not without a good reason."

Kat started laughing. Her whole body was shaking from how hard she was laughing, and she slipped off the couch, landing on the floor still laughing. Soda smiled at Kat's over-the-topness, and slid off the couch to sit next to her. She finally stopped laughing and looked up at him smiling. "You're pretty funny Curtis," she said with a giggle.

"I try," he replied with a grin, his face hovering over hers, and then he was kissing her. Kat's heart started racing, and without realizing it, she was on his lap, and her arms around his neck, and his were around her waist. This was without a doubt, the best most meaningful kiss she'd ever had.

Two-Bit came back into the living room to find his sister and Soda snuggling on the floor, watching the TV. "I missed something didn't I?" he asked, giving the pair an odd look.

"Yeah you did," Kat answered, lifting her head off Soda's chest, looking at Two-Bit, then put her head back and went back to watching the TV.

Two gave them another look. "I'm getting a beer, and I'm going out. Soda, you do anything to my sister that you wouldn't do in front of me, and I'll personally make sure you never have children." He turned and walked out the room.

Kat dissolved into another fit of giggles at the look on Soda's face. "He's not serious, I think," she said, tilting her head up to kiss him. She heard the front door slam, and she snuggled closer to his side. She yawned; it had been a long day.

Kat blinked. Was it just her or was the living room darker then it had been. She looked up at Sodapop with a questioning look. "Have a nice nap?" he asked.

She nodded. "I did. I had a rather warm blanket."

He smiled. "Come on, it's late. You should probably go to bed."

She raised an eyebrow. "Yes mother," she said as he climbed up and pulled her to her feet. "But I'm not going to bed unless I have a cuddle buddy," she said, lacing her fingers in his.

"I don't think Two-Bit would like that very much," he said nervously, though still following her up the stairs.

"Technically, we won't be doing anything that we wouldn't do in front of him. I just want to cuddle," she said with a smile, pulling him into her room.

As she snuggled next to him in the narrow bed, a thought flashed through her head. This was the first night she could think of that she'd had a boy in her bed and hadn't slept with him. God, she was such a slut.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I'm soo sorry it's taken my forever

A/N: I'm soo sorry it's taken me forever. Life's been really busy these past couple months. Thank you to everyone that still bothers to read this. And I apologize for the sucky quality.

A large stab of nausea woke Katherine from her otherwise uneventful sleep. Soda was still sleeping, though he woke quickly when Kat flung herself off of her bed and out of her room. She raced down the hall, barley able to slam the door shut before she emptied the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl. There wasn't much actually in the girl's stomach, but all the acid just made it that much worse. She took a deep breath, willing everything that might be still in her stomach, to stay there. She hadn't the faintest idea what was going on. Soda, who was now apparently on the other side of the door, had even less of an idea. "Kat? Are you alright?" He sounded genuinely worried, and that alone made Kat smile a bit. It was nice that someone finally cared about her.

She stood up, flushing the toilet. "Yeah. I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute," she answered. She moved towards the sink, grabbing her toothbrush. She brushed her teeth vigorously until her mouth felt clean. She spit the toothpaste in the sink, and rinsed off her brush, and set it back on the side of the counter. She pulled the door open, and stepped out, right into Soda's arms. He was waiting for her, and he was warm and comforting. She could definitely get used to this. He wrapped her tight in his arms, and she buried her face against the warm flesh of his shoulder.

"You sure you're alright?" he asked her again. She nodded, and he steered her towards the stairs. "C'mon. Let's head downstairs. Do you think you can handle breakfast?" he asked her, releasing her from his hold, and taking her hand. He led her down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Well, I guess we're about to find out," she said, taking a bite of the cereal he placed before her. It churned in her stomach for a moment before settling down. She cautiously took another bite. It also settled down. Three or four bites later, her stomach gave up on her, and sent her running towards the bathroom again. She emptied the cereal out, and brushed her teeth again. The warm arms of Sodapop once again greeted her.

"Alright. I think it's time for the Kitty Kat to go back to bed," he said, steering her in the direction as she kept her face buried against him. She felt disgustingly sick, and according to Soda, her head was warm. That meant another day in bed. The one-day she felt like going out and doing something, and she was too sick to do anything. The one advantage however to not being able to leave her bed was that she'd convinced Soda to stay with her. She could easily cuddle with Soda all day. She however, didn't get to kiss him, lest she make him sick.

A small thought ran through the back of her mind as she lay dozing in her bed, her period was a few weeks late. Could she possibly have morning sickness? She pushed the thought out of her head almost as soon as it entered. She wouldn't believe it. It couldn't be possibly be true, could it? She moved uncomfortably, and pressed her face against Soda's chest. The sleeping man subconsciously hugged her tighter. And what if she was pregnant? What would Soda think? Would he be able to stick by her? She was setting herself into a panic now, and she was glad Soda was sleeping. She carefully slipped away from him, making sure he was still sleeping.

She stole quietly down the stairs, and towards the phone. She was glad she was alone. She picked up the phone, and dialed the doctor's office. She was supposed to call and schedule a follow up appointment for her ER visit, and she figured that since she was going to be there, she might as well get her fears alleviated. She made the appointment, and hung up with a thank you. She headed quietly back upstairs, snuggling back into the warmth of Soda's arms. She'd put her fears off until her appointment tomorrow. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Well, she felt like crap, she might as well feel like crap and be calm about it. A large yawn escaped her lips and her eyes fluttered closed. How was it that one could sleep as much as she did, and yet be so tired?

The next time Katherine was close to consciousness, she couldn't help but notice that her bed was colder. Slowly she pried an eye open, noticing the empty space where Soda had previously been. Sitting up, she pushed her hair off her face, looking around confused. Where had the boy gone? As she started to get up, the door opened, and there was her Roman God with a bowl of soup in his hands. He smiled sheepishly. "Your mom made it. I just delivered it," he said, sitting on the end of the bed, and handing her the bowl and spoon carefully.

"Well thank you," she said, returning the smile as she swallowed a spoonful of the soup. Her stomach was definitely feeling better now, but she couldn't help but worry. It was very, very possible that she was pregnant, and if she was, she didn't even know what to do. There was no way in hell she was ready for a kid. She didn't even want one yet! Mulling on these thoughts, she continued to eat her soup, oblivious to the fact that Soda was studying her face.

"What's going through that head of yours?" he asked, taking the bowl from her gently, and setting it on the stand after it was emptied. Moving closer, he wrapped her in a hug. She sighed and snuggled against his chest, taking in a deep breath.

"It's nothing," she said, letting her eyes close. Never once did she imagine that she'd be like this with Soda Curtis of all people. She'd expected it even less considering what had happened with Dave a few days ago. Kat wasn't one to get scared easily, but she knew when to not do something. She'd been prepared to just give up on guys for awhile, but here was a boy who'd managed to change her mind about dating, and him in general with just a few caring words.

He squeezed her affectionately. "Really. What are you thinking?"

She tilted her head up. "Just thinking about how lucky I am that there's people like you around.

He couldn't help but smile. "I think I'm the lucky one." She smiled up at him, and he gave her a light kiss. She crinkled her nose.

A/N: How's that for an ending, huh? I need criticism? Is the story line going too fast? Is it too mushy? And here's what I'm really interested in; do you think she's pregnant or not?


	10. Chapter 10

Okay guys so I had a dream last night, and it inspired me to start writing this story again nearly a year after I stopped. I just reread the entire thing and I must say that I'm shocked at much my writing has changed in the past year. I was a little mortified reading through this I must say.

So I pose a few questions to you:

Should I keep writing this

Should I go back and clean up the chapters so they're written a little better?


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